Chesapeake council adopts final FY26 amendments for schools, city operating budget and CIP

Chesapeake City Council on June 10 unanimously approved final amendments and technical corrections to the city and school fiscal year 2026 budgets, including $10.35 million in additional state revenue for Chesapeake Public Schools, a series of operating-budget reclassifications and multiple changes to the capital improvement program (CIP).

The approvals finalize amendments the school board adopted after the city approved the FY26 budget in May. The school board’s requests include a roughly $4.82 million compensation adjustment (an extra 1% to bring the total increase to 4%), funding for elementary common planning time, additional teacher and administrative specialist positions, school security equipment and vestibules, and one additional school resource deputy with a vehicle. City council approved the school package by a 9-0 vote.

Budget staff said the bulk of the school changes are funded by newly adopted state revenue rather than a new city contribution. “All of the adjustments with the exception of the $51,000 for the schools are coming from that $10,000,000,” Councilmember Ritter asked at the work session; the city manager replied, “Yes, ma’am.” The package also reallocates $51,422 from a city manager reserve tied to a revenue-sharing reconciliation with schools.

Budget director Jonathan Hobbs summarized the school-side amendments as appropriations within the school operating fund: $10,346,657 in state revenue; $51,422 from the city manager reserve; $4,824,810 for the additional compensation adjustment; $1,330,973 for elementary common planning time; $412,933 for five administrative specialist positions; $436,443 for five general classroom teachers; $483,033 for a “modern classroom” project; $164,803 to add one school…